Successful I-485 for a EB-3 Client and Spouse

Applicant: Mr. Lee
Country/Region: Hong Kong, China
Applying for: Form I-485 (Application to Register Permanent Residence or Adjust Status)
Time: 1-month preparation and 3 month USCIS processing
Case Type: Successful I-485 for a EB-3 Client and Spouse

Challenges:

• • Clients wanted to file their applications as soon as their priority date was posted.
  • There were typos in the client’s electronic I-94 record that incorrectly listed their visa status as L-1A rather than L-1B.
  • The visa bulletin retrogressed after the I-485 applications were filed.

BACKGROUND

• File was received on 08/06/2021
• Receipt date: 08/13/2021
• Priority date 11/18/2018
• Approved date: 11/03/2021

Waiting for something is already gruesome as it is, but waiting years to apply for an adjustment of status just to wait again can be even more daunting. In this case, our client Mr. Lee and his spouse were eager to file their employment-based I-485 applications as soon as Mr. Lee’s priority date (China EB-3) became current. With USCIS taking anywhere from 14 to 33 months to process I-485 applications, Mr. Lee turned to Tsang & Associates to prepare their applications as soon as possible.

Mr. Lee is a highly skilled sales engineer with a bachelor’s degree in electronic engineering and years of experience in the electronic technology industry. When he first arrived from Hong Kong, Mr. Lee reached out to Tsang & Associates and successfully obtained an EB-3 visa as a sales engineer. He then later reached out again for his L-1B visa and visa extensions. When time came around to file Mr. Lee’s I-485 application, he trusted that Tsang & Associates would get the job done quickly and successfully as they had proven before.

While preparing Mr. Lee and his wife’s case, our firm discovered a couple discrepancies in their official documents that needed to be addressed before filing the applications. Mr. Lee’s online I-94 record incorrectly posted his visa status as L-1A rather than L-1B. Mr. Lee and his wife’s birth certificates needed to be issued by the government rather than hospitals. Tsang & Associates advised on these issues and made sure the filings had no errors.

KEYS TO SUCCESS

Through years of experience and thousands of successful I-485 filings, our firm knows what USCIS looks for in an I-485 application. Leaving no room for potential RFEs or any other event that could delay their adjustment of status, we provided Mr. Lee a comprehensive checklist of documents we needed ahead of time. When discrepancies were discovered in their official documents, our firm jumped in quickly to resolve them so they wouldn’t present any concerns to USCIS.

OUTCOME

While Mr. Lee was expecting to hear back within the normal timeframe of 14 to 33 months, the visa bulletin indicated that there was retrogression in the China EB-3 category. He and his wife were anxious given that they had already waited so long to file the applications. Miraculously, he and his wife received approval notices within a few days of the new visa bulletin, and just 3 months after filing their applications. They did not have to attend an interview or submit any further documents. It was truly a reward for this couple who waited for years for their green cards and filed everything the right way, thanks to Tsang & Associates.